But 95 percent of those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest -- where the heart stops beating without warning -- die before reaching the hospital.

It is in those cases where the effectiveness of defibrillators is a question, said Dr. George Litman, Akron General's chief of cardiology.

Litman suspects that having the machines in the house could prove effective, as 70 percent of sudden cardiac arrests occur at home.

However, the question arises as to whether having a device, called automated external defibrillators, in the home will create a false sense of security.

"Will some people think, 'I can smoke and eat and drink all I want because I have an AED to save me?'" said Tagni Osentowski, an American Heart Association spokeswoman.

Also in question is the price of the machines, which can run between $2,000 and $3,000, and who should qualify for one at home since it's difficult to predict who will need one.

Carle Wyler, 70, of Tallmadge, has never smoked, doesn't drink, eats properly, exercises and has normal cholesterol levels. But last September, Wyler had had a heart attack while shingling a roof at his family farm in Coshocton and have to had a triple bypass operation.

When Akron General asked Carle Wyler to be part of the trial, he and his wife, JoAnn, jumped at the chance.

"We're at the point where we want to reach out," she said. "If they can learn something from it, then that's a way we can give back."